Sports Nutritionists Bethany OK

Sports nutritionists provide access to customized nutritional plans for athletes, such as calorie and nutrient needs assessment, dietary analysis, nutritional strategies, and vitamin and supplement review. They also treat clinical issues such as iron deficiency. Read on to learn more and to find qualified sports nutritionists in Bethany, OK.

BASICS OF NUTRITION PHYSIOLOGY

1. The Raw Material - Calories in Food

All physical activity requires energy, and that energy is provided by the food we eat. Although we often view the bakery stop after a ride as just a pleasant reward, smart eating is essential to enjoying our riding and, for those in competitive situations, optimal performance.

All foods are composed of three nutritional building blocks - carbohydrates, fats, and protein - plus water and fiber (indigestible and without any food value). Carbohydrates contain 4.1 Calories per gram and are the primary energy source for most cyclists as well as athletes involved in short, maximum performance events. Fats are more important as an energy source for slower, endurance events. Protein , is used in maintaining and repairing cells, and is rarely an energy source for physical activity except in certain unique situations (such as malnutrition).

How much energy is in the food we eat (or what is a Calorie)?

Some foods contain more energy per ounce (or gram) than others. Not only does the fiber content (a filler with little or no Caloric value) of foods vary, the energy contained in equal weights of the pure basic building blocks - carbohydrate, fat, and protein - is not equivalent. In the nutritional literature, the energy content of any food is, by convention, expressed in Calories (note the capital "C") as opposed to the use of calories (small "c") or kilojoules (kj) in the scientific literature. The energy of one nutritional Calorie is equal to a kilocalorie (1000 calories - lower case "c") or 4.18 kilojoules.

Carbohydrates and protein each contain a little more than 4 Calories of energy per gram while a gram of fat has more than double the energy value at 9 Calories per gram.

2. Converting food Calories to power your muscles

Carbohydrate Calories supply the majority of the energy for muscles during vigorous activity. Fats are important for less strenuous, endurance type activities. Proteins are, in general, not an energy source for muscle activity.

Carbohydrate is provided to the muscle cell from 1) food you are eating or 2) stored carbohydrate in the form of glycogen in muscle and liver cells. On a normal diet, while fasting, there is enough stored glycogen to support 2 hours of high level exercise before these reserves are depleted and the bonk occurs. These internal stores can be extended with oral carbohydrate Calories. Thus, using carbohydrate supplements for events expected to last more than 2 hours is s smart strategy to maximize your performance. It is best to begin these carbohydrates at the start of the event as they are much less effective when one is trying to catch up after the bonk has occurred. A well trained cyclist will need slightly more than 1 gram of carbohydrate per minute to sustain maximum performance, and oral supplementation (started at the beginning of the exercise, not after glycogen depletion has occurred, at that rate) should b...

This page provides relevant content and local businesses that can help with your search for information on Energy Supplements. You will find this article about energy supplements titled "Energy Gels/Sports Drinks". Below you will also find local businesses that may provide the products or services you are looking for. Please scroll down to find the local resources in Bethany, OK that can help answer your questions about Energy Supplements.